The Raw Elements of Chemsex

Substances have been a part of gay life – and especially our sex lives – for years and years. The drugs have changed. But have we? This all becomes clear when it’s “G O’Clock”.

Whether it’s the alcohol we need to lose our inhibitions and talk to that super hot guy across the bar, the poppers we inhale to help relax us for sex, or the weed, speed or Viagra that we use to heighten our sexual experiences – the use of drugs and alcohol are something every gay man must confront in our daily lives.

In Europe, the topic of “chemsex” has become something of a buzzword amongst gays trying to determine how to stay healthy and enjoy themselves responsibly. GHB or “G” has been around for years, but it seems to have taken on new life recently, with more and more people using it as a stay-up-late and go-all-night drug or as a tool to enhance group sex experiences.

Fill a dropper up with the liquid G and squirt it in a mixer and swallow and you’ll have an even more amazing night of sex – or so the promises go. Take the right amount, and you’re good, users say. But take the wrong amount, and the downside might be overdose and death. The question then becomes – given the risks, is it worth it to party and play?

Mitchell Marion’s extraordinary short “G O’Clock” dramatizes the complexities surrounding this challenging issue.

The film, which premieres today on NakedSword as part of our special NakedSword Film Works (NSFW) line, featuring films that blur the lines between porn and indie film, tells a true-to-life story of an ambulance worker named Alex (Phillip Weddell) who regularly saves the lives of gay men who OD on GHB, but who also attends chemsex parties (“chillouts”) and enjoys taking the drug himself. When he meets a man at a sex party who’s friends’ life he recently saved, the two hit it off and Alex becomes the man’s guardian angel, giving him “safe” amounts of G and looking after him – or so he thinks.

Featuring strong acting, full-frontal nudity and very, very real looking sex from some of the hottest hunks in the UK (including some recognizable porn stars), “G O’Clock” is designed to both tittilate and provoke conversation.

For director Mitchell Marion, there doesn’t seem to be a right answer or a solution, and he takes special care not to present a morality play. It’s this complex treatment of a delicate subject that earned him acclaim at dozens of major LGBT film festivals last year, including BFI Flare in London, Outfest, Barcelona, and the very prestigious Iris Prize Festival in Cardiff, Wales.

By not moralizing or crafting something heavy handed, Marion’s film actually can reach then men it’s trying to, without alienating people who need, at the very least, to have a conversation about their partying habits.

Check out the trailer for “G O’Clock” and head over to NSFW to watch it, then let us know what you thought of the film’s treatment of the chemsex issue in the comments below!

[Watch “G O”Clock” at NakedSword Film Works]

 
 
 
Explore all of films selected for NakedSword Film Works (NSFW).

Tags: G O'clock, NakedSword, NakedSword Film Works